Headline

50th Episcopal Anniversary/90th Birthday: Obaseki, Onaiyekan Shower Encomiums On Ekpu

Published

4 years ago

November 10, 2021

The governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki and former Archbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Wednesday, showered encomiums on Archbishop emeritus, Most Rev (Dr) Patrick Ekpu, describing him as one of those who laid foundation for modern Catholic Church in Nigeria.

Obaseki who spoke at a service to mark the 50th Episcopal anniversary and 90th birthday of Ekpu at St Paul Catholic Church, Benin City ,described the Archbishop emeritus as one who served in various local communities as a young priest who understands the customs of the people and bringing them to God.

He said, “We will continue to tap from his wisdom to guide us as we pass through difficult times. He was a great patriot, a pious priest, visionary bishop, a rare archbishop, a living legend, a modest teacher, an audacious founder.”

Delivering a homily, Onaiyekan said the era Archbishop emeritus laid foundation for modern Catholic Church in Nigeria coincided with the Nigerianisation policy of the country in the early seventies.

He added that it was a time the Catholic was also undergoing reformation which gave room for Nigerians to take over the leadership of the church.

He named Archbishops Joseph Ukpo, late Ephraim Obot late Alexius Makuoze among others who laid foundation for modern Catholic Church in Nigeria.

He said: “The year 1971 was a tremendous year for the church in Nigeria when seven young Nigerian priests were appointed bishops.

“Our young bishop took the helms of leadership of their dioceses at a delicate period in the history of the church.

“It was just a few years after the end of the second Vatican council, a period of uncertainty and instability, as the church groped her way to implement the truly revolutionary changes that the council had decreed very significant. Among such changes was the need to adapt the church to the realities of our times and the realities of our native laws and customs in every aspect of church life.

“It was also the era of local music and instrument. It was the era of review of the administrative structure.

“The bishop had to ensure that all these were done without departing from the essence of our catholic faith and tradition.

“We can now safely say that our young bishops proved themselves better qualified to do this than any foreign born.

“The young bishops were plunged into a challenging socio-political period. Many wise men in the world’s way but of little faith did not expect them to successfully cope with the demand of their high office, but God’s ways are not our ways.

“Looking back now, 50 years down the line, we can see that the Holy Spirit did not make a mistake.

“They have led the churche entrusted to their care successfully until their meritorious retirement at the full age of 75. Not every former office holder deserves the title emeritus.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Archbishop of Benin Diocese and president, Conference of Catholic Bishops, His Grace, Dr Augustine Akubeze said Ekpu invested in human development and the growth of the people of God.

Up Next

Tragedy Averted As Igbinedion, Reps Member, Others Escape Air Disaster

Don't Miss

Twitter Was Not Banned In Nigeria, Lai Mohammed Speaks In Paris

Comments

Headline

Trump Birthright Citizenship Order Halted In Class-action Suit

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2025

Editor

A federal judge on Thursday halted President Donald Trump’s order restricting birthright citizenship, as opponents of the policy pursue a new legal avenue following the US Supreme Court’s overturning of a previous block.

The high court’s conservative majority delivered a landmark decision in late June that limits the ability of individual judges to issue nationwide injunctions against presidents’ policies.

Several such judges had in fact blocked Trump’s attempt to end the longstanding rule, guaranteed in the US Constitution, that anyone born on US soil is automatically an American citizen.

However, the Supreme Court left open the possibility that orders could be blocked via broad class-action suits against the government.

Trump’s opponents quickly filed new class-action suits seeking to block again the executive order.

On Thursday, Judge Joseph Laplante of the US District of New Hampshire granted class-action status to any child who would potentially be denied citizenship under Trump’s order. The judge ordered a preliminary halt to it as legal proceedings carry on.

The judge delayed his ruling for seven days to permit the Trump administration to appeal.

Cody Wofsy, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) who argued the case, called the ruling a “huge victory” that “will help protect the citizenship of all children born in the United States, as the Constitution intended.”

Trump’s executive order decrees that children born to parents in the United States illegally or on temporary visas would not automatically become citizens — a radical reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution.

His administration has argued that the 14th Amendment, passed in the wake of the Civil War, addresses the rights of former slaves and not the children of undocumented migrants or temporary US visitors.

The Supreme Court rejected such a narrow definition in a landmark 1898 case.

The current high court, with a 6-3 conservative majority, avoided ruling last month on the constitutionality of Trump’s executive order and only addressed the issue of nationwide injunctions.

It nonetheless permitted the order to go ahead but delayed its ruling from taking effect until late July to allow for new court challenges.

Several lower courts, in issuing their previous injunctions, had ruled that the executive order violated the Constitution.

Headline

PICTORIAL: Two Undocumented Nigerians Arrested For Drug Trafficking In Libya

Published

1 day ago

July 10, 2025

Editor

Libya’s Counter-Terrorism Forces have arrested two undocumented Nigerians over alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

According to a statement shared by Migrant Rescue Watch on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, the suspects were caught with quantities of hashish and hallucinogenic pills, including Tramadol and Lyrica.

Authorities also recovered a large sum of cash suspected to be proceeds from drug sales during the operation.

Following their arrest, the two Nigerians have been handed over to the appropriate legal authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The statement said, “Counter-Terrorism Forces arrested 2 undocumented #migrants of Nigerian nationality for drug trafficking. The individuals were found in possession of hashish, hallucinogenic pills “Tramadol” & “Lyrica” as well as cash from proceeds.

“Both individuals were referred to competent authorities for legal action.”

Headline

31 Workers Escape Death As Tunnel Collapses In Los Angeles

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2025

Editor

All 31 workers escaped without injuries from a collapsed industrial tunnel in Los Angeles’ Wilmington area, after scrambling over a tall pile of loose underground soil, city officials said late on Wednesday.

The trapped workers were shuttled back to the tunnel’s entry point, more than 5 miles (8 km) away from the affected area, after they escaped the collapsed section and met several coworkers in the unaffected part of the tunnel, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement.

The tunnel, which had a diameter of 18 ft (5.5 m), trapped 27 individuals, while four workers entered the damaged section to assist with rescue, LA Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva told reporters in a media briefing.

“The workers had to climb through debris. They had to make themselves out through,” before they were assisted out, Villanueva said.

Robert Ferrante, chief engineer and general manager of Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, told the briefing that a section of the already built part of the tunnel experienced squeezing ground conditions and partially collapsed.

“LAFD has just reported that all workers who were trapped in the tunnel in Wilmington are now out and accounted for. I just spoke with many of the workers who were trapped. Thank you to all of our brave first responders who acted immediately,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a post on X.

The collapsed section was a part of the Los Angeles County’s Clearwater Project, where the new 7-mile tunnel is being built to upgrade the region’s sewer system, officials added.

(Reuters)